Helical antenna for wireless microphone and method for the same

Abstract

Embodiments include an antenna assembly for a wireless microphone, comprising a helical antenna including a feed point and at least one contact pin coupling the feed point to the wireless microphone. The helical antenna is configured for operation in first and second frequency bands. Embodiments also include a wireless microphone comprising a main body having top and bottom ends and an antenna assembly coupled to the bottom end. The antenna assembly comprises a helical antenna configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, an inner core configured to support the helical antenna on an outer surface of the inner core, and an outer shell formed over the inner core and the helical antenna. Embodiments further include a method of manufacturing an antenna assembly for a wireless microphone using a first manufacturing process to form a core unit of the antenna assembly and a second manufacturing process to form an overmold.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An antenna assembly for a wireless microphone, comprising:
 a helical antenna including a feed point, and 
 a pair of contact pins coupling the feed point to the wireless microphone, each contact pin having a first end connected to the feed point, 
 wherein the contact pins include a primary contact pin and a redundant contact pin, and extend out from the feed point substantially perpendicular to the helical antenna, the two pins configured to operate as a single pin for electrically connecting the helical antenna to the wireless microphone. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the helical antenna further comprises:
 a first antenna structure configured for operation in a first frequency band, and 
 a second antenna structure configured for operation in a second frequency band, 
 wherein the first and second antenna structures both extend from the feed point. 
 
     
     
       3. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the contact pins extend out from the feed point at a preset angle relative to the first and second antenna structures. 
     
     
       4. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first antenna structure is longer in length than the second antenna structure. 
     
     
       5. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second antenna structure extends out from the feed point independently of the first antenna structure, such that a free end of the first antenna structure is spatially separated from a free end of the second antenna structure. 
     
     
       6. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second frequency band includes at least 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) operating band. 
     
     
       7. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first frequency band includes at least one Ultra High Frequency (UHF) operating band. 
     
     
       8. The antenna assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the helical antenna is configured to simultaneously transmit and receive wireless signals in the first and second frequency bands. 
     
     
       9. A wireless microphone, comprising:
 a main microphone body having a top end and a bottom end; 
 a printed circuit board (PCB); 
 a connector coupled to the PCB; and 
 an antenna assembly coupled to the bottom end of the main microphone body, the antenna assembly comprising:
 a helical antenna configured to transmit and receive wireless signals; 
 a pair of contact pins comprising a primary contact pin and a redundant contact pin, each contact pin having a first end connected to a feed point of the helical antenna, wherein the two contact pins extend out from the feed point substantially perpendicular to the helical antenna and are configured to operate as a single pin for electrically connecting the helical antenna to the connector; 
 an inner core supporting the helical antenna on an outer surface of the inner core; and 
 an outer shell covering the inner core and the helical antenna. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The wireless microphone of  claim 9 , wherein the contact pins are coupled to the inner core and extend out from the inner core towards the main body. 
     
     
       11. The wireless microphone of  claim 9 , wherein the helical antenna comprises a first antenna structure with an elongated body wrapped around a main body of the inner core and a rounded end portion folded over a closed bottom end of the inner core. 
     
     
       12. The wireless microphone of  claim 11 , wherein the helical antenna further comprises a second antenna structure that is shorter in length than the first antenna structure, both antenna structures extending out from the feed point. 
     
     
       13. The wireless microphone of  claim 12 , wherein the second antenna structure extends out from the feed point independently of the first antenna structure, such that a free end of the first antenna structure is spatially separated from a free end of the second antenna structure. 
     
     
       14. The wireless microphone of  claim 9 , wherein the outer shell is attached to the inner core using an adhesive. 
     
     
       15. A method of manufacturing an antenna assembly for a wireless microphone, the method comprising:
 creating a core unit with a main body and a closed bottom end using a first manufacturing process; 
 coupling a feed end of an antenna element to the core unit, the feed end being connected to each of a primary contact pin and a redundant contact pin, wherein the two contact pins extend out from the feed point substantially perpendicular to the antenna element and operate as a single pin for electrically connecting the antenna element to the wireless microphone; 
 wrapping the antenna element around the core unit to form a helical structure with a first free end of the antenna element positioned adjacent to the bottom end of the core unit; and 
 coupling an outer shell to the core unit to cover the antenna element using a second manufacturing process. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein coupling the feed end comprises inserting the contact pins into the core unit so that the contact pins extend out of the core unit and towards an open top end of the core unit. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein coupling the outer shell comprises adhering the outer shell to the core unit using an adhesive. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising adhering the antenna element to the core unit using a plurality of alignment pins positioned on an outer surface of the core unit. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the antenna element includes a first antenna structure comprising an elongated body extending from the feed end to the first free end, and a second antenna structure extending from the feed end to a second free end that is spatially separated from the first free end. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising folding the first free end of the first antenna structure over the bottom end of the core unit.